Gohan rarely uses Super Saiyan because Old Kai unlocked his latent potential, making his base form far stronger than his previous Super Saiyan forms.
Here's a breakdown of why Gohan shifted away from relying on the Super Saiyan transformation:
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Unleashed Potential: During the Buu Saga, Old Kai performed a ritual that drew out Gohan's hidden power. This "Potential Unleashed" state, often referred to as "Mystic Gohan," significantly amplified his base form's strength, speed, and energy.
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Base Form Superiority: Goku himself acknowledged that Gohan, after the ritual, was stronger than he had ever been as a Super Saiyan. This means Gohan's base form now exceeded the power he once achieved with Super Saiyan and even Super Saiyan 2.
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Efficiency: The Super Saiyan transformation, while powerful, requires energy expenditure to maintain. With his enhanced base form, Gohan could achieve similar or greater power without the strain of transformation.
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Fighting Style: Gohan's power after the ritual was more a result of tapping into his innate potential rather than a transformation. He fights using his own ki, skill, and fighting style, making him distinct from other Saiyans who primarily rely on Super Saiyan forms. He doesn't need the extra boost.
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Later Power Creep: The "Dragon Ball Super" era introduced even stronger transformations like Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue, further marginalizing the regular Super Saiyan forms. Though Gohan eventually trained with Piccolo to regain his power, he focuses on maximizing his "Potential Unleashed" form, rather than relying on traditional Super Saiyan transformations.
In summary, Gohan's decreased reliance on the Super Saiyan transformation stems from the power boost he received from Old Kai, making his base form more effective and efficient than transforming.
